A Colder Week

Up until October 15, we had mostly sunny days with temperatures being unseasonably warm, even hot. 

On Monday, the 16th of October, it was close to frost in the morning at only 1C/33F. I had checked the weather forecast before packing my little red suitcase for the weekend and was well prepared, wearing my padded winter coat for the first time this season. From the train home, I saw frost glittering on some fields and meadows - another "first" for this season.

After work, I met with three of my voluntary group. We discussed a few topics, shared a bottle of wine and snacks and agreed on our next steps as a group.

On Tuesday (17 October) I worked from home. It was cold but sunny after a beautiful sunrise and partly cloudy morning.

Late afternoon, I packed an overnight bag and took a train to Ulm, the place where I had my training as a Data Protection Officer nearly 10 years ago, and keep returning to for work-related events. My first post from April 2014 about that training and the first of my stays in Ulm is here.

Some things have changed in the city over the years, the best thing being the tramway that has replaced part of the former bus system. It is modern, efficient, easy to use and really convenient. After an uneventful train trip, I took the tram to where my hotel (always the same one since 2014) and course location was, and arrived at the hotel just before 8:00.

Dense fog and wintery temperatures greeted me on Wednesday morning (18 October). It didn't matter much, since I was at the course all day, only leaving the building for a short walk with our trainer and the only other on-site participant (three ladies - our trainer told us how much she enjoyed this "girls day" with us!) to have a spot of lunch at a nearby bakery/café.

View from my hotel window

When I had last been here for a course (in 2021), I had opted to walk all the way to the station - not that far, really; between 5.5 and 6 km, depending on which route you choose, and mostly downhill. I was looking forward to repeating that walk and didn't mind the light drizzle that started about half way through. But when the rain began to fall in earnest, I hopped on the tram for the last km or so. My trains back were on time, and I was home at 7:30 pm after what had been a really good day.

Thursday, the 19th of October, was much milder again at 19C/66F. I was working at the office, and the rain meant I did not go for a lunch break walk nor an after-work one. I did, however, visit my Mum in the evening.

Working from home again on Friday (Oct. 20), I had a series of appointments and a quick visit from my former upstairs neighbour in the afternoon before I started on my usual cleaning round and household tasks.

O.K. got stuck in a traffic jam and made it to my place only at 9:30 pm. I cooked creamy tomato soup with crunchy bread, something I had meant to make for a long time but somehow it always felt too warm for hot soup. That day, it was not much cooler than the day before, but it was wet, windy and grey out there, so some comfort food was nice.

Saturday, the 21st of October, was sunny and mild again at 19C. After a late-ish breakfast (11:30), we went into town for a stroll across the market before crossing the busy road into the equally busy palace grounds. With the pumpkin festival in full swing, the sun shining, and no less than 11 travel coaches lined up on the parking lot (from as far away as Switzerland), there really were a LOT of people. 

We soon left the grounds and went across the bridge to the deer park, which was much quieter, and on to the lake.

Back home, O.K. drove us to my Mum who had kindly replanted the planter for my windowsill which in the spring she had given me full of pansies for my birthday. Now it holds two hellebores, a white and a red one (the latter is not in bloom yet).

We also needed the car because earlier that week, I had ordered wine from the Duke of Wuerttemberg's winery. I had specifically asked for it to be delivered NOT on the Wednesday, when I was going to be in Ulm - but of course, it was delivered on that day, and none of my neighbours were around to accept ity. It was placed in a locker station instead where I had to retrieve it - and since there is no way I can carry a box with six bottles of wine that far, we drove.

Our evening meal consisted of the Hokkaido pumpkin shown in my autumn display on this post, made in the oven with crumbly Feta cheese, and fusili pasta for company, topped with rosehip pesto.

A memorable event took place on Sunday (Oct. 22). When my sister and I were seven and six years old, we moved into the middle of three terraced houses here in Ludwigsburg. Next door were two sisters our age. The four of us became inseperable - we went to school together and spent most of our free time as a foursome.

In our late teens, a rift went through our small, tight-knit group. I won't go into detail; let it suffice to say that while I kept in touch more or less regularly with one of the sisters, everyone went their seperate ways. This kind of thing sometimes happens when childhood friends go to uni, start work, have partners and start their own families.

When last year first our Dad and two weeks later their Mum died (both after having undergone the same operation at the same hospital, even on the same ward), and soon followed by my sister's best friend R, the idea of a reunion of the four of us was born.

It took us a year to make it come true, and so on that Sunday, my sister and I drove to a small town nearby where one sister lives with her family (the other one lives in Switzerland). 

There was not a single moment of awkwardness, but instead, we picked up the threads that had been resting (in my sister's case) for over 30 years, as if no time had passed. We still share the same sense of humour and there were many laugh-out-loud moments, but we were also able to talk serious stuff such as the deaths we'd had to cope with.

Anyway, it was a wonderful meeting, and we are now planning to visit our Mum next time the Switzerland-based sister comes up.

I was home at about 1:30 pm, and after an espresso with O.K., we went for a walk on the sunlit fields, stopping at the cemetery on our way back after coffee and cake at the farm café just outside town.

O.K. left just after 8:00 pm, luckily without a big traffic jam this time.